Automatic hog ringer



Oct. 25, 1949. c. FORST 2,485,874

AUTOMATIC Hos RINGER Filed March 5, 1947 2 Sh'ee ts-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.C21 7'. Z 1 0 76 2 mmwa.

ATI'EI RN EYE Oct. 25, 1949.

c. FORST 2,485,374

AUTOMATIC HOG RINGER Filed March 5, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

S BY flmjimv.

A'ITD R N EYS Patented Oct. 25, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2Claims.

My present invention relates to the general class of animal surgery, andmore specifically to an improved automatic hog ringer or manuallyoperated instrument for inserting in or attaching a ring to the nose ofan animal.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an instrument ofthis type having a magazine feed for the rings, together with feedingmechanism for a single ring, and a lever-operated jaw co-acting with afixed jaw for securing the ring in place; and in which a minimum numberof parts are employed. The parts may with facility be manufactured atlow cost of production and conveniently assembled to insure aninstrument that is speedy and accurate in the performance of itsfunctions, and which may be manipulated with ease by one skilled in thisparticular art.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction andcombinations and arrangements of parts as will hereinafter be describedand more specifically set forth in detail in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings I have illus trated a complete example of aphysical embodiment of my invention in which the parts are combined andarranged in accord with one mode I have devised for the practicalapplication of the principles of my invention. It will, however beunderstood that changes and alterations are contemplated and may be madein these exemplifying drawings, within the scope of my claims, withoutdeparting from the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an instrument or hog ringer,partly broken away for convenience of illustration, and in which myinvention is physically embodied.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the instrument in position reversed fromthat of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a side view of the instrument shown in Fig. 2, partly brokenaway to show the retracting spring and the adjustable stop for theoperating lever.

Figure 4 is a front end view of the instrument.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional detail view of theinstrument, showing its interior operatin parts.

Figure 6 is a partial top plan view and partial horizontal sectionalView as at line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional detail view similar to Fig. 6 withthe ring carrier in initial position.

Fig. 8 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view showing the ringcarrier or feed device in elevation.

In carrying out my invention I utilize a barrel or tube forming ahousing and magazine for the rings, and in cross section the tubularhousing conforms to th shape of the open or split rings; in thisinstance the rings are illustrated as of flattened elliptical shape, andthe interior of the tubular housing conforms to this shape.

The rear end of the tubular housing or barrel is closed by a removableplug 2 of hollow construction, having an exterior head it fitted againstthe open end of the housing.

The tubular housing forms a magazine for a number of the split or openrings 4, and the rear end of the removable plug is locked within thehousing by means of a radially arranged latch pin or bolt 5 mountedwithin the plug and pressed by spring 6 into a keeper or hole in thehousing. For removal of the plug an arm "i of the latch pin or boltprojects through an opening in the head 3 of the plug, wher it isreadily accessible to a finger or thumb for unlatching the plug.

The rings 4 confined within the tubular housing are mounted upon aremovable spring-feed magazine that includes a pair of vertically spacedrods 8, 8, each of which at its rear or outer end is secured by a locknut 9 on the inner plate H) of the removable plug, into which plate therods are threaded, and these rods pass through a transversely arrangedguide plate or follower I l. The plate or follower conforms to theinterior bore of the tubular housing and it fits neatly therein for asliding engagement in upright position with the inner surfaces of thetubular walls.

The follower acts as a feed plate for the rings, and it is pressed bysprings l2, 12 on the rods 8, 8, to feed the row of rings toward themouth of the tubular housing.

For controlling and regulating the feed of the rings a central rod I3 isslidably mounted in the plug 2HJ and passed through the follower plateII, and an exterior handle or knob l4 may be utilized for this purpose.The control rod 01' bar is provided with an annular groove or notch 15for co-action with the wall of the opening in the plug plate ID toretain the bar in set position, and an enlarged head It is mounted onthe inner or front end of the bar to prevent displacement of the ringsfrom the magazine.

A single ring is removed from the front end of the row of rings in themagazine, carried to operative position, and then clamped in the nose ofthe animal, by the manipulation of an operating handle or lever i! thatis automatically retracted by spring l8 interposed between the handle I?and the tubular housing, and an adjustable set screw or stop I8 ismounted in the handle, which is pivoted at I 9 on the housing, toregulate the movement of the hand lever.

To accommodate the operating parts of the instrument, the open front endor head of the instrument is provided with two lateral compartments orcasings and 2|, and a bottom casing 22; and the open .front endofthehead 'or' mouth of the instrument is fashioned with an upper fixedjaw 23 shaped to receive and fit over one end of the ring. With thisfixed jaw, a movablee jaw 24 co-acts to squeeze the two spaced ends ofthe split ring, as indicated in Fig. 5;

The movable jaw 24 is provided withial pair.

of spaced arms 25 located within the casing 22 and the inner ends of thearms'are fixed rigidly" on the pivot bolt or pin IQ of theoperatinglever l1, so that the movablejaw will swing upwardly as theoperatinglever is pressed downwardly, towardthe tubular'housing, forclamping the ring in place.

The front ring is picked'from the magazine and carried to position forclamping, between the jaws by means of two' pairs of gripping'fingers26', 26, that form gripping notches 21' at their free ends to gripandcarry the ring. One finger of each pair is rigidly mounted upon a rockshaft 28 that is journaled in.the opposite side walls of the hollow headof the tubular housing. The other grippingfingerof each pair is looselymounted on the rock shaft in close relationship with the rigid finger;and a spring 29 is interposed between parts of the two-fingers forresiliently holding the loose finger in operative and gripping relationwith the rigidlysupported finger; for'carrying the ring.

Therock shaft is rocked or'actuated by movement-of the operating leveror'han'dle; through the instrumentality of two bell crank'l'evers' 30that are pivoted at 3! in the walls ofthecasing 22 of the hollowhead' ofthe tubular housing; and the bell crank levers are actuated by a pair ofexterior links 3-1, 3+" that pivotally=connect the bell cranlrlevers"with the operating leveror handlez One of the bell crank levers- 30" islocated in position to swing and contact against" a push rod 33' that ismounted'toslide in abracket 34' located within the housing or ratherwithin its hollow'head, and the push rod is-pivotally conne'cted to acrankarm or rocker arm'35'rigid witli therockzi shaft 2 8, a spring 35being anchored toa wall of-' the head and to the push bar for swingingthe'carrier'armsor fingers back to the row of'rings, to grip another"ring.

The pairs of carrier fingers are normally and resiliently held ingripping position against: the front ring of the row of rings in: the"magazine;

4 as in Figs. '7 and 8, and the initial movement of the operating lever,through the bell-crank connection and push rod connections to the rockshaft, swings the fingers to carry the selected ring to the position ofFigs. 5 and 6. The spring .36 then retracts the push rod and rockshaftto swing the carrier fingers back again to the front ring of themagazine row, thus clearing the mouth of the head of the instrument forthe clamping mevemenh ofa the movablerjawagainst the ring, as the latteris pushed ihtmengagement with the nose of the animal for clampingthereon.

For replenishing the supply of rings within the magazine the latter maybe withdrawn from thetubular housing by means of the headed plug;the'additional supply of rings may be slipped onto the spring rods ofthe magazine, and then the reloaded magazine may again be slipped intothe tubular" housing for further use of the instrument.

Having thusfully, described my, invention, what .L claim. as new anddesire. to. secure. by Letters Batentis'z.

1;. In aringing. instrument including a. tubular housing andlholl'owhead having clamping jaws at the mouthlofthe. head,,and a spring,pressed magazine for a. row of rings, the combination with. arock-shaftjournaled in thehead and a pair of gripping fingers mountedthereon for gripping a ring, from said. row, of leveroperating'mechanism for clamping the jaws on a; ring, and meansactuatedj'bythe leveroperating mechanism'for rocking'said'shaft', forthe purpose. dc.- scribed.

2. In aringing'instrumentincludinga tubular housing containing"a springpressedrow of rings; ahollow headhaving clamping'jaws at the mouth orthe head; andlever operated mechanism for clamping the jaws on a ring,the combination with a rockshaft' journaled in the head, of a fingerrigid with the shaft, a finger loosely mounted on the shaft, andaspring-'co-acting with saidfingers to grip a ring; and means actuated bythe lever operating mechanism=forrockingsaid shaft, forthepurpose-described? CARL FORST.

REFERENCES CITED The followingireierences are ofrecord' in the file ofthis patent:

STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 68 13721 Holland Dec; 26, 1901 1,136,149McGowan Apr. 30, 1915 1 3063714 Parker June 1'7; 1919 13 181491 GibneyOct. 14, 1919 1'3594i998 Burns Aug. 3, 1926 1,710,742 McNabb- Apr; 30;I929

